The horror! The horror!
Okay, it wasn't that bad. But for Jennifer, it was scary at first. As a renowned anthropologist, she was leading a small expedition team to a cold mountainous area to study an indigenous tribe. Her son, Sean, had come along too as an 'assistant,' since he was a college student majoring in the same field.
It went well until Sean was accidentally poked by a poisonous plant.
Sure, as a mother, Jennifer overreacted and was scared beyond belief. But as it turned out, it wasn't so bad. Sean quickly recovered and seemed fine. The real bright side to this (at least for Jennifer) was that she got to witness firsthand the medical abilities of the small tribe. Their healer was glad to work special techniques on Sean, and Jennifer was happy to observe.
As they gathered in the small hut with a local translator, Jennifer marveled as this elderly healer mixed a concoction of exotic leaves and herbs, grinding them in a stone bowl until it was paste.
The translator deciphered the healer's words:
"She says this will help rejuvenate his vitality."
Jennifer smiled, "What is it?"
The translator deciphered the elderly healer's words once again, explaining that it's locally grown herbs and flowers gathered before the icy season. As Jennifer listened attentively, her anthropological side was on full alert. To her, this was pure gold; this was what the trip was all about.
"Interesting, isn't it?" Jennifer asked her son.
"Sure is," he replied.
The healer continued speaking and the translator explained:
"She says this will restore your son to full health."
Sean's eyes widened at the sight of the mixture in its final form. Really, who could blame him? The mixture looked like meshed green paste and it had a strong pungent smell that filled the space.
The healer spoke again through the translator:
"She says this must be taken twice a day. Not just for the poisonous plant, but for overall health. Basically, she thinks your son is a strapping young man and she wants to give him a gift that nature has to offer."
Jennifer's eyes lit up. "Give it a try, Sean. I'm curious to see what it'll do."
The translator added that the mixture, whatever it was, is purely a concoction for male treatment, although the translator didn't know why.
"I guess so," Sean relented.
"It can't be that bad. The people around here have been using it for centuries. It's safe. It'll be a new learning experience."
"If I feel amazing, I'll let you know," he joked.
The tribal healer and the translator continued their dialogue:
"She says that the body must be warm during the treatment. You two must sleep together for body heat as a storm is coming."
Jennifer and her son locked eyes, and she was the first to crack a smile.
"Looks like this trip has gotten a lot more interesting," she quipped. "Are we doing this in your tent or mine?"
Sean blushed, "My tent I guess, since I'm the one being experimented on."
"As you wish. Whatever makes you more comfortable."
When the tribal healer spoke again, the translator spoke back and they engaged in dialogue. It was like the translator couldn't believe it.
Finally, the translator delivered the message:
"She says that Sean must expose his penis to apply the medicine."
"Is that necessary?" she asked.
The translator engaged in more dialogue with the healer, and the answer was the same.
"Why his penis though?" she asked again.
Apparently, Sean's penis needed to be exposed because he had been poked by the toxic plant around his waist. The easiest route of entry for the medicine would be around his crotch, so that the medicine could be absorbed by the skin and flow to the troubled spot.
While this was being explained, there was nothing but awkwardness between Jennifer and Sean, who remained speechless.
"Sean can apply it himself," Jennifer said to the translator. "He's a smart person. He can follow instructions well."
The translator asked the healer and deciphered the answer:
"She says that you must do it. It must be applied in a special way. Then she will teach you how to do it for him in the next few days."
Jennifer turned to her son and shrugged. "What do you think? It sounds like an interesting learning experience for us."
"Really?" he replied, trying to keep his tone polite. "The healer wants me to expose my penis in front of everyone."
"Not everyone. We'll be in a private hut."
"But you're..."
"I'm your mother?"
He nodded. "It's way too weird."
"You act like I've never seen or touched a penis before."
"That's not the point."
"I've seen countless penises from my travels around the world."
"But you're not supposed to see mine," he argued, before calming down as the translator and healer were staring at them.
Jennifer spoke in a calmer tone. "Okay. I understand your predicament. I'll just have to thank the healer for her time, and for wasting those precious herbs, and you can recover on your own."
"Are you putting me on a guilt trip?"
"Of course not."
"What about you? The healer said you have to apply it for me tonight. Plus, we'll have to share a bed and all that stuff. Does that bother you?"
Jennifer flashed a *so what* kind of look. "I'm an anthropologist. I'm also a professional. None of this bothers me. I'm serious. We're both human beings with normal bodies, big deal."
"Fine, I'll do it," he sighed.
A bright smile crept on Jennifer's face. "Excellent."
She conveyed the message to the translator, who conveyed the message to the healer.
The translator spoke:
"She wishes to begin. Please, have your son expose himself. The healer will shave his pubic hairs, clean him, then apply the herbal medicine to his crotch area, shaft, and the tip of his penis."
"Jeez," he mumbled softly.
Jennifer rubbed Sean's back to comfort him. It was her special way of telling him that it would be okay, that he shouldn't be embarrassed by any of this.
"I've seen it all before," she said as lovingly as she could. "You have nothing to be ashamed of. Remember, this is for the sake of learning. There's nothing to lose."
"Easy for you to say. You don't have to get naked."
"Would it help if I turned around?" she offered. "The translator and I can face the other direction while this happens. I promise I won't peek. You can tell me about it later. Sound fair?"
Sean relaxed a little. "That sounds doable then."
"You'll live," she smiled.
That's when the process began. Jennifer and the translator turned away so that Sean could get naked from the waist down and lay on a rug. She listened, intently and curiously, as the healer shaved Sean's crotch area, then cleaned it with water and a piece of cloth.
As Jennifer faced the wall of the hut, she heard the healer apply the substance to Sean's body. Surprisingly, not a peep or complaint came from Sean. He accepted that the healer was providing a tribal medical service. In a way, she respected that Sean was willing to do something like this. Especially since it involved his most private area. Deep down, she was pleased with herself that she had raised a mature young man.
Then, she heard it. Wet sounds. It sounded like slurping and liquids, and if Jennifer didn't know better, it sounded like sucking. It couldn't have been, could it?
When Sean released a soft gasp, Jennifer resisted the powerful urge to see what was going on. It sounded like something naughty was happening, but Jennifer had already promised not to look.
After a few minutes passed, with more slurping noises and a few gasps, Jennifer was delighted when she heard the sound of Sean getting dressed again. The translator said it was okay to turn around, based on the healer's message.
Jennifer looked at her son, who seemed to blush a little, with a glow on his face.
The healer spoke and the translator relayed the message:
"She says that the first dose is complete. You must keep his body temperature high tonight for blood flow, and you must give another application of the medicine. Then, Sean will be fully healed of the poison and will be better than ever. His vitality will be strong."
Jennifer nodded, still looking skeptically at her son. "Okay, I can do that. How do I apply it?"
While it was being explained by the healer, the translator's face remained stoic, and then the response came:
"You must rub the mixture around his crotch. Then you must apply the mixture to his penis -- using your mouth."
Her jaw dropped. "What? Are you sure she said that?"
The fact that Sean was blushing confirmed her suspicion that the healer had just been sucking on his penis to apply the medicine. In other words, the healer gave him oral sex.
After the healer said a few more words, the translator relayed the new information:
"Saliva or bodily fluids is good for the herbs. It helps it work. And it must go inside the tip of his penis. So it must be erect. The mouth is the easiest and most pleasurable way. No hands, because it's too rough. When he can ejaculate, that is a good sign of success."
What a tough thing for her to process and it nearly took her breath away. It was like her head was spinning. Of course, she realized that she couldn't do this. No way. Maybe she'd just let Sean apply it himself, with his own saliva, and she'd cuddle with him in bed to keep his body warm. Sure, she was breaking her own rule, but this was too far fetched.
"I'll do what I can," she said to the translator. "Please thank the healer for me. This has been a wonderful learning opportunity for us."
The healer smiled at the gratitude, and even more striking, Sean tried his hardest to suppress a smile of his own, fully expecting to receive an oral treatment again. As if his own mother would actually do that for him.
***
Bedtime was early because of the frigid weather, which was only a few hours later. Jennifer shared a tent with her son. There was a lamp that gave them light. And there was only one bed on the floor which they'd be sharing.
"Are you really going to do this?" Sean asked. "I mean, you don't have to. I don't expect you to, even though this was your idea."
"Are
you
putting me on a guilt trip now?"
"No, I'm just saying."
"Can I ask you something?"
He nodded. "Sure, anything."